Presto! From Black to Clear with the Magic of Photochemistry

In this Science Buddies science project, you’ll demonstrate how the rate of a chemical reaction can be altered by light. You can customize this kit to include the centrifuge tubes, iodine, oxalic acid, beaker, and other supplies needed to complete this experiment.

Overview

The rates of some chemical reactions can actually be increased by adding light. Light sometimes interacts with one or more of the chemicals and provides an "energy boost" that dramatically speeds up a normally slow reaction. In this photochemistry science project, you will experiment with the effect of light on a chemical reaction. The reaction converts iodine, which forms a dark-orange solution, to iodide, which is colorless!